This invention relates to collective objects management systems in general, and in particular to an improved collective objects management system using object identification with digital addresses. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement for a collective objects management system using object identification with digital addresses, the improvement pertaining to removably suspended objects.
The term “collective objects management systems” is a term coined to denote systems for generally keeping track of items (“objects”) in a collection of items. For example, an automobile parts warehouse at any given time has a collection of vehicle parts (“objects”) in inventory. The kind and number of such parts varies every day, as parts are sold and new parts are received. In order to keep track of the number and kind of vehicle parts in inventory, some type of collective vehicle parts management system must be used. Similarly, in a semiconductor manufacturing operation, at any given time there is a collection of integrated circuits (“objects”) of one or more types located somewhere in the facility, which must be accounted for using a collective integrated circuits management system. In supermarkets, a collection of a large number of different types of items, such as meats, produce, canned goods and the like is usually in inventory, with the number and types of objects varying widely on a daily basis and thus requiring a complex objects management system. In business offices and some homes, file storage cabinets are typically used to store documents used for both business and personal activities. A typical file storage cabinet has several pull-out drawers each containing a relatively large number of file folders (“objects”), with each folder containing one or more documents. In order to enable the documents contained in the various files to be readily accessed and inventoried, some type of file management system is necessary.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,471,717 issued Jun. 25, 2013 for “Collective Objects Management System With Object Identification Using Addressable Decoder Units” discloses a system for managing objects distributed in an object location space. The disclosure of the '717 patent is hereby incorporated by reference. The '717 system comprises a container, such as a file drawer, having a plurality of mutually electrically isolated electrically conductive paths, at least one of which can receive address signals supplied by a source and specifying a sought object; and a plurality of object receptacles positioned in the container, each of the plurality of object receptacles having                (a) a plurality of electrically conductive members, each of which is electrically coupled to a different one of the plurality of mutually electrically isolated electrically conductive paths;        (b) an address decoder circuit associated to an object in the receptacle, the address decoder circuit having a unique system address, the address decoder circuit further having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals in electrical contact with the plurality of electrically conductive members; and        (c) an indicator, such as a visible indicator (e.g., an LED) coupled to the address decoder circuit for activation whenever the address decoder circuit detects an address signal present on at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive members and representative of the unique system address of the object in the receptacle.        
The '717 system further includes a source comprising an encoder for generating the address signals, the encoder having at least one input terminal for receiving object identification signals from a supply device, at least one output terminal coupled to each address decoder circuit of the plurality of object receptacles, and circuitry for generating a signal representative of the unique system address of the object specified by the object identification signals.
In a specific embodiment, the container comprises a file folder drawer; and each object receptacle comprises a file folder having a pair of support braces, with one of the support braces containing the plurality of electrically conductive members. In this embodiment, the address decoder circuit and the indicator of each of the object receptacles are carried by one of the two support braces of each file folder.
The file folder drawer has a front panel with an additional indicator mounted thereon; and the system further includes circuitry for operating the additional indicator whenever an address decoder circuit located in the file folder drawer detects an address signal present on the at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive members and representative of the unique system address of that address decoder.
Each address decoder circuit includes circuitry for generating a VALID signal whenever that address decoder circuit detects an address signal present on the at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive members and representative of the unique system address of that address decoder circuit.
A cabinet microcontroller supplies power signals to the plurality of object receptacles via some of the electrically conductive paths, and address signals via the at least one of the electrically conductive paths; and receives VALID signals generated by each address decoder circuit when an incoming address matches a given address decoder circuit system address. The microcontroller also includes circuitry for generating information signals identifying the location in the system of any address decoder circuit which generates a VALID signal.
The '717 technique provides objects management capability for objects distributed in an object location space which is superior to older, manual techniques implemented in the past.
A unique class of collective objects is comprised of those objects designed to be removably suspended for storage, access and display purposes. One example of this class of collective objects is a collection of keys each provided with a key holder which can be removably attached to a suspension device, such as a hook or a peg. Several key holders and keys are usually removably stored in one or more key cabinets, depending on the number of keys in the collection. Each key or key holder is normally provided with a label containing information identifying the associated key and its application. Another example of this class of collective objects is a collection of mechantable items (such as dry cell batteries, hardware items, or the like) carried by a packaging unit designed to be removably attached to a suspension device and provided with identifying information for the item. The key holders and packaging units are typically provided with a through aperture for enabling removable mounting on the suspension device. While this class of collective objects could benefit from the advantages afforded by the electronically addressable collective objects management system described above with reference to the '717 patent, to date there has been no commercially available implementation of the principles of the electronically addressable collective objects management system to the class of removably suspendable objects.